Bill & Shirl’s Excellent Iceland Adventure

From £1600 per person (based on two people sharing a double/twin room), including superior 3* accommodation, car hire (fully-insured 4×4) and ferry crossings but not flights

This itinerary is based on one we created for William and Shirley, clients from the USA, who had previously holidayed with Iceland Traveller in 2013. As this was their second time in the country, they wanted to venture off the beaten track and explore some less-visited places. During their tour, they e-mailed to tell us about their experiences and we have included one of these descriptions in the itinerary. To see more of their comments, plus those of our other clients, click here.

Please note that accommodation outside Reykjavík is limited and many hotels are booked up well in advance for summer stays so, if you would like us to arrange a similar trip (the itinerary can be amended to suit your interests and the time you have available), the earlier you can contact us to start planning, the better.

DAY 1: Depending on your arrival time, you could spend your first night near Keflavík International Airport, in Reykjavík, or do what Bill and Shirley did and pick up a hire car and head straight to your first night’s accommodation in Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula.

DAY 2: Take the 09:00, 2.5-hour ferry crossing to the coast of the West Fjörds. Here you will be met by your driver guide, who will introduce you to some of some of Iceland’s most dramatic coastal scenery, with towering sea cliffs which, in summer, are home to millions of breeding birds. The return ferry departs at 19:00.

DAY 3: Before leaving Stykkishólmur, take time to visit the local Folk Museum (housed in a beautifully-restored timber house originally imported in kit form from Norway), the Volcano Museum to learn about Iceland’s explosive geology or the Library of Water, which reflects the founder’s intimate connection with his country’s geography, landscape, climate and culture. Then continue on to the town of Glymur at the head of Hvalfjördur where you will spend the night. In the mountains above the fjörd, about an hour’s walk from the road, is Iceland’s highest waterfall at 198m

DAY 4: A free day, perhaps to follow Bill and Shirley’s route: “We drove west on the north coast of Vesturland (a peninsula on the west coast that reaches out into the Atlantic) to reach the volcanic caves on the south coast. We were planning to cross the peninsula from north to south using a rural “F” road, which turned out to be closed because of late-melting snow. The road we ended up taking took us through cloud-covered mountain passes and was quite thrilling. I really enjoyed the caves (at which Journey to the Centre of the Earth was filmed) that we had read about, despite the taxing climb down and then up two spiral staircases used to access the underground chambers.”

DAY 5: If you have not followed the Golden Circle route on a previous visit to Iceland, you could do so today to see some of Iceland’s most famous sights en route to your next accommodation in the Fludir area. Here you can relax at a natural hot spring pool near to which a small geysir erupts every few minutes. Also nearby are geothermally-heated greenhouses, where tomatoes are cultivated year-round using green energy, and where lunch is served among the plants. The unique Icelandic horse is bred here too.

DAY 6: Today you might like to visit a local community with an artistic, sustainable and ecological ethos, where around 100 people live and work together. Its workshops – in wood, art, ceramics, weaving and candle-making – produce high-quality, hand-made artefacts which are available for sale in the on-site shop. From here drive on around the south-east tip of Iceland and spend the next two nights at a country hotel near to Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Alternatively, you could travel across the Highlands on the rugged but beautiful cross-country road to Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Bill and Shirley had planned to do this, but the harsh 2015 winter delayed the opening of the mountain ‘F’ routes. However, we had made a Plan B under which they visited places they hadn’t been to before and were able to stop and take more photographs as they followed their route around the coast.

DAY 7: The spectacular Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon is bound to be a highlight of your holiday. Here you can take one of the two types of boat trip on offer to get right in among the icebergs. On the way back, stop at the Skaftafell Visitor Centre in the Vatnajökull National Park (Europe’s largest). From here you can drive and then walk to the beautiful Svartifoss waterfall, surrounded on both sides by basalt columns.

DAY 8: Today you may like to explore one of Icelandic hidden geological gems. Fjaðrárgljúfur is a magnificent and massive canyon, around 2km long and 100m deep. The water level of the river flowing through it is often quite low making the canyon safe for hikers but there is also a path running along the edge, which affords spectacular views from above. From here you can plan a gentle drive to your 2-night stay in a country hotel on Iceland’s south coast.

DAY 9: A visit to the beautiful Westman Islands should be on this morning’s agenda. The ferry takes just 30 minutes and there is a range of different tours available. You could explore the coastline in a powerful Rib boat, take a tour with a knowledgeable driver guide or go horse-riding or hiking. Bird life here is abundant in summer and the Islands are also home to one of the most beautiful and extraordinary golf courses in the world. These islands are perhaps best remembered for the birth of Surtsey (in 1964) and more recently the eruption of Eldfell (1973) which almost engulfed the nearby town and harbour in lava. The story of the dramatic events of those few weeks is vividly brought to life by a day trip, or if you wish to stay a night on the Islands that, too, can be arranged.

Day 10: Travelling across the dramatic landscape of the Reykjanes peninsula to Keflavík for your flight home, your final night could be spent at a cliff-top hotel close to both the airport and the Blue Lagoon and only a short drive from Reykjavík. After seeing so much of Iceland, we thoroughly recommend a relaxing last evening either at the Blue lagoon or over dinner, or both! If you have not visited on a previous trip, or at the start of your holiday, you might choose instead to spend a night or two in the capital.

The tour you booked for us was great. We were really lucky to have only four of us (me and Pip, plus two Australian ladies) on the minibus so it was practically a private tour. Great guide, interesting stops, and nice places to stay. Overall, it was a completely stunning and awe inspiring trip. Such a beautiful country and I'm still very excited to have seen puffins on the tour!

Best activity? Snowmobile, amazing scenery. Highlight? All of it!

Hi, as Iceland virgins we will be guided by you, it just seems an interesting place to spend midsummer night. I’ve always wanted to go there for the lagoons,.

Hi, as Iceland virgins we will be guided by you, it just seems an interesting place to spend midsummer night. I’ve always wanted to go there for the lagoons,. spas, geysers, whatever’. Now that he is back, what was his favourite activity? ‘Snowmobile, amazing scenery’. Highlight of the holiday? ‘All of it!’

Both guides were very knowledgeable

It was a lovely trip and being with our family made it extra special. The bird cliffs at Latrabjarg on the Westfjords were amazing, we were very lucky with the weather!

It was a lovely trip and being with our family made it extra special. The bird cliffs at Latrabjarg on the Westfjords were amazing, we were very lucky with the weather! Food was good everywhere, and Hotel Husafell was our favourite accommodation.

The snow made the scenery amazing ...

We had a great time despite the weather. In fact that added to it in some ways, and we got to see most of the things we wished to see.

We had a great time despite the weather. In fact that added to it in some ways, and we got to see most of the things we wished to see.
We will have to visit the South Coast another time ..... The snow made the scenery amazing but we would both like to see Iceland in colour another time rather than black and white (lava and snow).

Thank you so much for all your help - especially given the last minute nature of our trip

It was fantastic thank you! We'll definitely be going again and recommending it (and you!) to all our friends.
We went northern lights hunting on the Tuesday night - Eric was fabulous.

Thank you so much for all your help - especially given the last minute nature of our trip

Marcelle (UK)
February 20, 2017

It was fantastic thank you! We'll definitely be going again and recommending it (and you!) to all our friends.
We went northern lights hunting on the Tuesday night - Eric was fabulous. He properly 'hunted' and we went completely off the beaten track- and got some hot chocolate and rum to keep us warm. We were rewarded with an amazing view of the Northern Lights- definitely worth booking a private tour as those on the group tour weren't so lucky.
Thank you so much for all your help - especially given the last minute nature of our trip. Dave had a really great birthday.

Memorable trip for all ages

Excellent itinerary, packing in a wide variety of different venues and experiences and making allowances as necessary for the less mobile members of our party.

The planning was excellent. I asked for a tour package with food as its focus and Iceland Traveller did not disappoint. Their recommendations were wonderful. I especially loved the picnic by the waterfall and being able to sample 8 different kinds of locally brewed beer for tea time! Amazing memories.

We had the most amazing week in Iceland ..

We had the most amazing week in Iceland and I cannot thank you enough… you made my role on this trip very easy as everything was so impeccably organised for us.

We had a wonderful time and can heartily recommend Iceland and Iceland Traveller

Paul (UK)
February 1, 2016

As Iceland novices, we relied on Julia to put together a four-day package and itinerary for February based on our vaguely expressed preferences. She didn’t disappoint. There was just the correct mix of travel, sightseeing, fabulous accommodation and great dining. Couldn’t ask for more. The trip went like clockwork, from being greeted at the airport and taken to the Blue Lagoon, to the hire car delivered to our hotel in Reykjavík, to the restaurant bookings, to the glacier walk … etc. We had a wonderful time and can heartily recommend Iceland and Iceland Traveller. We will definitely be back for more.

A trip of a lifetime!

Prior to going, I felt confident about our holiday into the unknown as you were so confident yourself and full of so much information, tips etc.

Prior to going, I felt confident about our holiday into the unknown as you were so confident yourself and full of so much information, tips etc. Nothing was too much trouble. Once we were there we had such a brilliant time doing really different activities we’d never tried before and seeing such interesting geographical features in stunning surroundings. The sunrises and sunsets are beautiful.

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